Pashinyan inherently unprepared to give up his post – Iveta Tonoyan

Panorama, Armenia
Feb 9 2021

Lawmaker from "Prosperous Armenia" party Iveta Tonoyan commented on Tuesday the unwillingness of the ruling force to hold snap parliamentary elections. She reminded that the ruling "My Step" faction cited the lack of public demand and opposition position to leave the idea of holding early elections. 

"This is nothing else than a manipulation and a failed attempt to mislead the public," Tonoyan stated at parliament, referring to the previous statement by the authorities about elections. To note, in December Pashinyan rejected calls to step down but instead offered consultations with political forces on holding snap elections sometime in 2021. 

The opposition lawmaker reminded that "Prosperous Armenia" has never rejected early elections and admitted the possibility only if Pashinyan resigns and an interim government is formed to ensure their fair and transparent conduct. 

"Let us be sincere to admit that Pashinyan is inherently unprepared to give up his post," Tonoyan stated, adding that it would be faired if authorities spoke about own failures and responsibility for the ongoing crisis. 

"Thousands were killed, tens of thousand were injured, while authorities continue their agenda," stressed Tonoyan. She advised the representatives of the ruling force to visit the Yerablur military pantheon without body armor and  bodyguards to grasp the whole tragedy of the reality. In her words, the ruling force should also acknowledge that all revolutionary promises and declarations about "Artsakh is Armenia" were a lie.